Boston doctor on key roles dads play in kids’ lives

WASHINGTON. FIVE ON YOUR MENTAL HEALTH TONIGHT AND ENCOURAGING MORE DADS TO SPEND TIME WITH THEIR KIDS. AND WITH FATHER’S DAY LESS THAN A WEEK OUT, WE’RE HIGHLIGHTING A PROGRAM IN BOSTON THAT CELEBRATES THEIR CRITICAL ROLE IN FAMILIES, PETER EXPLAINS. AS DOCTOR KEVIN SIMO, A PSYCHIATRIST AT BOSTON CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL AND CHIEF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH OFFICER FOR THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION. GOOD TO SEE YOU, DOCTOR. GOOD TO SEE YOU. ALL RIGHT. LET’S START WITH KIDS WHO HAVE HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR DADS. WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS? YEAH. SO, YOU KNOW, CHILDREN THAT JUST GENERALLY HAVE A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR FATHERS OFTEN EXPERIENCE BETTER EMOTIONAL HEALTH, HIGHER SELF ESTEEM, GREATER ACADEMIC SUCCESS. THEY’RE ALSO MORE LIKELY TO DEVELOP STRONG SOCIAL SKILLS, UH, EXHIBIT RESILIENCE IN THE FACE OF CHALLENGES. UM, SO OVERALL, A POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH A FATHER OR, YOU KNOW, FOSTER, FOSTER PARENT, FOSTER FATHER, UM, PROVIDES A SENSE OF SECURITY SUPPORT, UH, CONTRIBUTING TO HAPPINESS AND OVERALL EMOTIONAL WELLNESS. DOCTOR, THE BPC, IT OFFERS A PROGRAM CALLED THE FATHER FRIENDLY INITIATIVE. IT’S OBVIOUS WHAT THE GOAL IS. WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS? WE KNOW WHAT THE GOAL. EXPLAIN TO US THE GOAL AND THEN TALK ABOUT THE BENEFITS. YEAH, YEAH. SO SO AT THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION OR BPHC, UM, THE FATHER FRIENDLY INITIATIVE REALLY PROVIDES A SAFE SPACE FOR MEN TO GATHER. UH, IT KIND OF THEY DO OFFER A CASE MANAGEMENT, UM, TO ADDRESS A NUMBER OF PARENTING CHALLENGES, AND THEN THE INITIATIVE SUPPORTS FATHERS DEALING WITH CHALLENGES AS IT RELATES TO SOMETIMES CUSTODY OR VISITATION. AND OTHER LEGAL MATTERS. SO THE PROGRAM REALLY ENCOURAGES FATHERS TO BE A NURTURING, UH, RESOURCE FOR THEIR KIDS. AGAIN, UH, HIGHLIGHTING ALL OF THE POSITIVE BENEFITS OF HAVING THAT HEALTHY FATHER CHILD RELATIONSHIP. OKAY, YOU KNOW WHAT’S KIND OF SUPPORT IS AVAILABLE FOR DADS WHO WANT TO BECOME MORE CONNECTED WITH THEIR KIDS? YEAH. SO SO OUTSIDE OF THE, UH, FRIENDLY FATHER, UM, INITIATIVE, UH, AT BPHC, WE ALSO HAVE HEALTHY BABY, HEALTHY BABY, HEALTHY CHILD. UH, AND SO THAT’S SPECIFICALLY, UH, KIND OF HOME PROGRAM WHERE WE HAVE FOR PARENTS, INCLUDING FATHERS, UH, FOR KIDS WHO ARE UNDER FIVE. UH, SO YOU COULD BE A PREGNANT FAMILY. UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, FAMILIES CAN SEEK OUT MORE INFORMATION WITH REGARDS TO THAT. UH, BY EMAILING HB, HC AT BPHC. ORG, ANOTHER REALLY GREAT PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE HERE IN THE CITY IS UM, AN ORGANIZATION CALLED FATHERS UPLIFT. AND THAT ACTUALLY PROVIDES MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING, COACHING, UH, CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND THEY EVEN HAVE 12 TO 18 WEEK PROGRAMS CATERED TO MEN, UH, THAT, THAT RESIDE IN BOSTON. SO THERE ARE A COUPLE OF PROGRAMS. UM, BUT I KNOW WE’RE SHORT ON TIME, SO I DON’T WANT TO GO THROUGH THE LAUNDRY LIST, BUT AT LEAST THOSE. THAT’S OKAY. IT’S IMPORTANT. IT IS. PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW THOSE TWO. ALL RIGHT. WONDERFUL. WELL, DOCTOR SEYMOUR, THANK YOU SO MUCH. ARE YOU A DAD YOURSELF? I AM A DAD. I HAVE TWO, UH, K.J., WHO’S THREE YEARS OLD, AND BROOKE, SHE IS FIVE YEARS OLD, ARE HEALTHY AND HAPPY. FATHER’S DAY TO YOU. THANK YOU.

Boston doctor on key roles dads play in kids’ lives

Updated: 4:59 PM EDT Jun 10, 2024

With Father’s Day around the corner, we’re highlighting a program in Boston that celebrates their critical role in families. Dr. Kevin Simon, a psychiatrist at Boston Children’s Hospital and chief behavioral health officer for the Boston Public Health Commission, talks about the Father Friendly Initiative and the important role dads play in kids’ lives.

With Father’s Day around the corner, we’re highlighting a program in Boston that celebrates their critical role in families.

Dr. Kevin Simon, a psychiatrist at Boston Children’s Hospital and chief behavioral health officer for the Boston Public Health Commission, talks about the Father Friendly Initiative and the important role dads play in kids’ lives.